Local ‘hip hop’ artist bringing in heavy hitter for Oct. concert

By Rebecca Sandlin - Monday, September 10, 2018 7:42 AM

Kyle Schnepp, also known as Lyrical the Miracle Man, poses for a press photo ahead of the “Jimmy Pop’s Party at the Park” hip hop concert, on Oct. 13 in the First Merchants Bank Heritage Hall building at the Huntington County Fairgrounds. Seven artists are set to perform at the event, including national recording artist Mac Lethal. Photo provided.

A national “hip hop” rapper known for his rapid-fire lyrics is coming to give a concert in Huntington, thanks to the efforts of a local artist.

Kyle Schnepp, of Huntington, known on the local hip hop scene as “Lyrical the Miracle Man,” is organizing the multi-artist show, which will feature David McCleary Sheldon of Kansas City, MO, also know as Mac Lethal, as its headliner.

The event, called “Jimmy Pop’s Party at the Park,” is set for Saturday, Oct. 13, in the First Merchants Bank Heritage Hall at the Huntington County Fairgrounds. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.

“I just decided to go and watch Mac Lethal live in Chicago a couple of months ago,” Schnepp says. “I know that a lot of people really enjoy the stuff that he has and he’s really popular right now. I just thought about it one day and I thought it would be great if we could bring him here.”

Schnepp contacted Mac Lethal’s manager and arranged the gig. From there, he worked on adding a cast of artists to showcase during the show. Jimmy Pop’s Pizza Shop also came on board as a sponsor.

Mac Lethal is a national recording artist who has become a YouTube sensation with his furiously fast style of rapping. He has also performed on the “Ellen” show, the Joe Rogan podcast and is the founder of Black Clover Records. The video shows him rapping over the beat to “Look at Me Now” while he cooks up pancakes in his kitchen.

At last count, his rendition has logged nearly 1.25 million views. The video can be viewed at youtube.com/watch?v=bfrP4MEXawA. He has since released four albums.

“The albums are just as good as his live performance was,” Schnepp says. “It’s my style, you know, because we’re not, quote-unquote, gangsters, right? That’s not the hip hop music that we do, and he’s very similar to me in that style.”

Schnepp, who is 32, himself has been a hip hop artist for 12 years, he says, and has recently released his first professional album. He has also organized and promoted shows in Indianapolis and Huntington, and is also listed on the concert bill.

“I’ve been writing since I was like, 13, writing hip hop,” he says. “I’ve been performing since I was 21 and able to legally go into the bars and they let me perform.”

The lineup of artists at the Oct. 13 show also includes Lyrical the Miracle Man; Lee Cook, of Indianapolis and originally from Peru; SkRiLLa, of Indianapolis; Coulture, who is Timothy Webb, of North Carolina and originally from Wabash; FloStorm, of Warsaw; and AlienNature, of Fort Wayne.

Although Schnepp says the tone of the concert will be on the “mild side,” those who are offended by raw language should be aware that some will likely be spilled during the concert. He says it is an all ages event concert, but attendees under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Alcohol and food will be available for purchase from Jimmy Pop’s Pizza Shop. In addition, several vendors will have booths selling items such as jewelry, CBD oil, artwork and beauty products, making the night as much of an event as a concert, Schnepp says.

Schnepp says he expects the show to be a sell-out, with 300-plus in attendance. He hopes to bring more concerts to stages in Huntington.